Written Answers Monday 14 August 2006

Scottish Executive

Adoption

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were placed for adoption in each year since 1999.

Robert Brown: This information is not collected centrally in precisely this form. The number of children who were adopted by non-relations in the years 1999–2005 is set out in the following table (but this does not include children who were placed for adoption but where an adoption order was not in the event made). Such children will have been placed with the adopters by an adoption agency. Children adopted by relations (almost always step-parents) will not usually have been placed with them by an adoption order.

  

 Year
 Number of Children Adopted by Non-Relations


 1999
 238


 2000
 198


 2001
 264


 2002
 235


 2003
 283


 2004
 239


 2005
 283



  Source: General Register Office for Scotland Vital Events Reference Tables.

Alcohol Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals were treated by the NHS for alcohol dependency in each year since 1999.

Lewis Macdonald: Tables providing this information are available in, the Scottish Parliaments Information Centre.

  Table 1 (Bib. number 40168) shows the number of people discharged from Scottish general acute hospitals with an explicit diagnosis of alcohol dependence for each year from 1999-2000 to 2004-05.

  Table 2 (Bib. number 40169) shows the number of people discharged from Scottish mental illness and psychiatric units with an explicit diagnosis of alcohol dependence from each year available from 1999-2000 to 2002-03.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of recent research published by Professor Gillian Baird in The Lancet stating that autism now affects one child in 100 in the United Kingdom and that environmental factors are implicated, what urgent steps will be taken to identify the environmental factors which are the potential triggers for this condition and whether it will now directly fund independent research.

Lewis Macdonald: The report by Professor Gillian Baird and others which was published in The Lancet on 14 July does not implicate environmental factors as a reason for an increase in the prevalence of autism and related spectrum disorders (ASDs). While the paper suggests that the incidence of ASDs may be higher than previously thought, it does not show that this represents a genuine increase in incidence rather than better ascertainment. Indeed, in a commentary published in the same issue of The Lancet Dr Kurita states that while a number of previous studies have suggested that environmental factors might have contributed to higher incidence rates none have so far been consistently supported.

  The Chief Scientist Office would welcome research proposals on developmental problems in children including research on the causes of autism which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the research findings of Dr Steve Walker which replicate the findings of Professor John O’Leary and Dr Andrew Wakefield in discovering measles RNA from the MMR vaccine in the gut of autistic children and, in light of the recent study by Professor Gillian Baird, published in The Lancet which stated that one child in 100 in the United Kingdom now has autism and given that this level of autism appears to follow the introduction of the MMR vaccine to the UK, what urgent steps will be taken to re-introduce single vaccines as a choice until all the environmental factors contributing to autism are established.

Lewis Macdonald: The research findings of Dr Walker’s work are unpublished and have not yet been peer-reviewed. There has been extensive research into whether the measles virus can be found in gut of children with autism however, there remains no convincing evidence to indicate a causal relationship between MMR and autism.

  Notably, the university at which all the authors of the abstract work (Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, North Carolina, USA) issued a press release on 1 June 2006: http://www1.wfubmc.edu/News/NewsARticle.htm?ArticleID=1856.

  This quotes Dr Walker saying "We haven’t done anything to demonstrate that the measles virus is causing autism or even causing bowel disease. The new research does not support the connection" 

  The research findings therefore do not impact upon current MMR policy. The childhood immunisation programme in Scotland does not offer single vaccines routinely and there are no plans to change this policy. Offering single vaccines, with some time lags between vaccinations, would leave a child at risk from mumps, measles and rubella which could result in death or serious illness. This also has serious potential consequences for any other unprotected child or adult with whom they are connected.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-24316, S2W-25442, S2W-26233, and S2W-26566 by Lewis MacDonald on 27 March, 8 May, 2 June and 19 June 2006 indicating that the Medical Research Council (MRC) had received no proposals of sufficient quality to fund research into the investigation of a link between bowel disease and autism, what the Executive’s position is in respect of MRC’s refusal to fund a proposal to examine 500 autistic children, plus controls, submitted in early 2002 by Dr David Wilson, gastroenterologist, and Dr Anne O’Hare, both from Edinburgh Sick Children’s Hospital, Dr John March from the Moredun Research Institute, Dr M Afzal and Professor Subrata Ghosh, gastroenterologist from Hammersmith Hospital, and whether the Executive will seek a full explanation from the MRC regarding its refusal to fund clinical investigation into the relationship between bowel disease and autism since 2001, given the MRC’s statement that this was a priority area for research.

Lewis Macdonald: As stated in the answer to question S2W-25366, answered on 3 May 2006, the Medical Research Council (MRC) is an independent funding body, the responsibility for which is reserved to Westminster. While my department works closely with the MRC on many issues and has co-funded the MRC’s programme of research on autism, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the MRC’s decisions on specific research proposals, which are a matter for them.

Blind and Partially Sighted People

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated for the provision of literature and equipment for partially sighted and blind students in (a) primary, (b) secondary, (c) further and (d) higher education in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Robert Brown: Information on the funding for provision of literature and equipment for partially sighted and blind students in primary and secondary schools is not held centrally. It is for local authorities, taking account of their own individual circumstances, to decide how to allocate support for learning resources in order to provide for children and young people with additional support needs in schools.

  Information relating to funding for the provision of literature and equipment for partially sighted or blind students in further education, by local authority area, is not held centrally. Further education colleges are provided with inclusiveness funding to enable them to build inclusiveness practices into their mainstream activities. However, this funding is not targeted specifically at partially sighted and blind students and it is for colleges to decide how the funding should be allocated.

  In higher education, disabled students are supported through the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). The following table sets out the amount paid by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) from 1997 to 2005-2006 to blind and partially sighted students. Information on what the funding provided is not held centrally.

  Table 1: Blind/Partially Sighted HE Students Receiving DSA and Total Amount Paid, 1997-98 to 2005-06

  

 
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Total Funding Provided (£)
£138,018 
£212,655 
£357,799 
£358,836 
£353,939 
£401,201 
£423,055 
£341,065 
£366,365 


 Students supported each year
 49
 55
 75
 81
 75
 87
 86
 66
 84


 Aberdeen City
£9,900 
£   - 
£   - 
£7,917 
£  11,045 
£  24,592 
£  23,752 
£  25,622 
£2,640 


 Aberdeenshire
£   120 
£   - 
£5,405 
£   - 
£   - 
£9,883 
£   - 
£  13,320 
£  10,637 


 Angus
£3,420 
£   - 
£5,405 
£   - 
£  10,074 
£5,068 
£  14,787 
£   - 
£5,540 


 Argyll and Bute
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£4,489 
£  21,929 
£   - 
£   - 


 Clackmannanshire
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£5,761 
£   - 
£8,708 
£   - 
£   - 
£   400 


 Dumfries and Galloway
£3,546 
£   - 
£  15,204 
£4,733 
£8,660 
£8,696 
£6,290 
£2,249 
£  10,195 


 Dundee City
£2,086 
£3,870 
£7,609 
£3,848 
£  13,506 
£8,924 
£7,378 
£   - 
£  11,448 


 East Ayrshire
£ 45 
£  11,280 
£  22,303 
£  21,242 
£  21,109 
£  16,974 
£  27,284 
£  22,842 
£  22,304 


 East Dunbartonshire
£5,668 
£3,586 
£3,905 
£   763 
£6,493 
£3,472 
£  19,022 
£  15,658 
£2,152 


 East Lothian
£   - 
£   - 
£  21,502 
£9,971 
£   663 
£   - 
£  20,390 
£  12,609 
£  21,434 


 East Renfrewshire
£   - 
£5,904 
£   - 
£6,178 
£   - 
£   - 
£   2,094 
£3,102 
£9,773 


 City of Edinburgh
£   734 
£  23,527 
£  16,896 
£  26,820 
£  47,440 
£  41,609 
£  25,494 
£  32,574 
£  29,927 


 Eilean Siar
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 


 Falkirk
£   - 
£4,714 
£  21,790 
£  18,404 
£8,195 
£  11,786 
£9,721 
£  14,466 
£  15,517 


 Fife
£  18,675 
£7,682 
£6,125 
£  28,092 
£  19,552 
£  19,942 
£  10,755 
£1,930 
£  42,290 


 Glasgow City
£  27,145 
£  45,921 
£  53,702 
£  66,431 
£  21,443 
£  48,289 
£  36,306 
£  32,916 
£  14,349 


 Highland
£4,286 
£   - 
£   - 
£  20,036 
£  12,067 
£  19,038 
£  17,717 
£  30,497 
£5,052 


 Inverclyde
£   606 
£8,114 
£   756 
£7,213 
£1,228 
£   - 
£7,251 
£3,421 
£  21,332 


 Midlothian
£   - 
£5,165 
£1,464 
£   719 
£ 50 
£  12,907 
£4,865 
£   - 
£4,262 


 Moray
£   124 
£1,752 
£   - 
£   - 
£1,938 
£   - 
£7,166 
£   - 
£   - 


 North Ayrshire
£ 61 
£  12,103 
£7,894 
£  17,127 
£  17,089 
£   594 
£  13,161 
£  16,617 
£9,705 


 North Lanarkshire
£  30,263 
£  27,277 
£  34,322 
£  38,197 
£  61,773 
£  68,172 
£  79,333 
£  75,639 
£  50,103 


 Orkney Islands
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£1,456 
£   - 
£   - 
£  15,517 


 Perth & Kinross
£   - 
£ 55 
£  29,743 
£8,062 
£2,600 
£9,187 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 


 Renfrewshire
£3,157 
£  10,726 
£4,074 
£3,068 
£8,249 
£  12,792 
£4,705 
£4,572 
£4,239 


 Scottish Borders
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£4,120 
£  13,473 
£9,195 
£   - 
£3,378 
£3,887 


 Shetland Islands
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   - 
£   559 
£  10,311 


 South Ayrshire
£6,082 
£   - 
£  10,962 
£3,017 
£  11,339 
£8,946 
£  21,852 
£   - 
£   - 


 South Lanarkshire
£7,423 
£  35,586 
£  36,179 
£  38,972 
£  27,899 
£  17,079 
£  26,426 
£  16,881 
£  19,648 


 Stirling
£   - 
£1,306 
£1,327 
£  10,806 
£  12,101 
£6,741 
£4,329 
£   150 
£1,678 


 West Dunbartonshire
£   - 
£   - 
£  28,777 
£   178 
£  14,825 
£  15,329 
£6,891 
£8,016 
£  18,519 


 West Lothian
£  14,677 
£4,086 
£  22,457 
£7,162 
£1,126 
£7,335 
£4,158 
£4,049 
£3,507

Contraception

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been given contraceptive implants on the NHS in the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not available centrally. Data collected centrally relate to prescribed items dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors and do not include items dispensed through hospitals or hospital-based services. In addition, the available data are not patient specific and cannot be used as a proxy for the number of patients receiving treatment with a particular drug.

Dentistry

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) adults and (b) children registered with an NHS dental practice in each year since 1995.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is provided in the following table.

  Total Number of Adults and Children Registered with an NHS General Dental Practitioner; At 31 March

  

 Year
 Number of adult registrations
 Number of child registrations


 1995
 1,849,884
 623,874


 1996
 1,942,469
 635,945


 1997
 2,027,245
 637,743


 1998
 2,034,688
 710,064


 1999
 1,891,328
 726,124


 2000
 1,972,310
 754,545


 2001
 1,969,008
 743,469


 2002
 1,960,605
 733,743


 2003
 1,959,293
 725,494


 2004
 1,935,634
 716,070


 2005
 1,915,492
 711,847


 2006
 1,877,945
 707,371 



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information & Dental Accounting System).

Dentistry

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental practices have (a) opened and (b) closed in each NHS board area since 1997.

Lewis Macdonald: The number of dental practices that began providing NHS general dental services and the number that ceased providing NHS general dental services are shown in the following tables. No information is held on private practices.

  The Number of Dental Practices that Began Providing NHS General Dental Services1, 2; Year Ending March

  

 NHS Board Area
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006


 Ayrshire and Arran
 -
 4
 2
 4
 -
 1
 1
 -
 2
 4


 Borders
 1
 1
 -
 1
 -
 2
 1
 1
 1
 2


 Argyll and Clyde
 1
 1
 -
 2
 1
 -
 2
 8
 2
 6


 Fife
 -
 2
 1
 -
 -
 -
 3
 -
 1
 4


 Greater Glasgow
 4
 5
 5
 2
 2
 3
 3
 4
 5
 7


 Highland
 1
 7
 2
 2
 3
 3
 3
 6
 2
 6


 Lanarkshire
 1
 -
 -
 1
 2
 1
 4
 -
 1
 4


 Grampian
 2
 1
 -
 1
 -
 2
 -
 3
 2
 2


 Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 2


 Lothian
 3
 2
 3
 1
 4
 1
 3
 4
 1
 2


 Tayside
 -
 -
 3
 2
 1
 2
 5
 3
 2
 1


 Forth Valley
 2
 -
 1
 1
 1
 2
 -
 -
 2
 3


 Western Isles
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 -
 1
 -
 4
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Shetland
 -
 1
 -
 1
 1
 2
 2
 1
 -
 -


 Scotland
 15
 26
 17
 23
 17
 19
 27
 31
 21
 45



  The Number of Dental Practices That Ceased Providing NHS General Dental Services1,2; Year Ending March

  

 NHS Board Area
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006


 Ayrshire and Arran
 2
 1
 1
 2
 4
 4
 -
 -
 4
 2


 Borders
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Argyll and Clyde
 -
 -
 5
 -
 -
 2
 -
 1
 2
 3


 Fife
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 2
 1
 1
 2
 2


 Greater Glasgow
 4
 6
 2
 2
 3
 4
 5
 2
 4
 4


 Highland
 1
 1
 2
 3
 3
 1
 3
 -
 2
 1


 Lanarkshire
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 1
 -
 2
 2


 Grampian
 1
 1
 4
 -
 -
 2
 1
 4
 3
 1


 Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Lothian
 1
 5
 4
 2
 3
 2
 3
 6
 9
 5


 Tayside
 -
 -
 -
 2
 2
 1
 3
 6
 4
 2


 Forth Valley
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 2
 -
 1
 2


 Western Isles
 -
 -
 -
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Dumfries and Galloway
 -
 1
 1
 -
 3
 -
 -
 -
 1
 2


 Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 2
 -
 -
 1


 Scotland
 9
 16
 19
 14
 20
 20
 21
 21
 35
 27



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System).

  Notes:

  1. Some dental practices may cease providing NHS general dental services permanently, while some may do so only temporarily. Some practices may close and reopen in another location.

  2. Includes all salaried and non-salaried locations in each NHS board area in which NHS general dental services are provided.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Independent): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on NHS dentistry in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: The expenditure by NHS Scotland on General Dental Services in each of the last five years is as follows:

  

 Year
£m


 2001-02
 181.4


 2002-03
 194.0


 2003-04
 199.7


 2004-05
 217.1


 2005-06
 239.0



  This represents a continued increase in expenditure on general dental services provided by salaried and non salaried general dental practitioners. It does not include expenditure incurred in the provision of dental treatment in hospitals or the community dental service.

Eating Disorders

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address anorexia on a Scotland-wide basis, in light of the recent decision by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman on the treatment of an anorexia patient in NHS Lothian.

Lewis Macdonald: We are working with all interests, including the independent sector, to improve eating disorder services in Scotland. The focus remains on better supported and coordinated care and greater family involvement.

  As part of this action the NHS regional partnerships are reviewing and introducing changes to the organisation of care. These changes will be further informed by the outcomes, expected this December, and from the Delivering for Health inspired review of specialist services, including eating disorder care.

  On the wider front NHS Education Scotland is providing educational material for undergraduate health and social care and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is consulting on the management of eating disorders, the outcomes of which will be published this November.

Eating Disorders

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) in patient beds and (b) specialist staff are dedicated to the treatment of anorexia.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally. NHS in patient care is provided within generic mental health services and not separately identified by condition. In patient care is also contracted from the independent sector.

  Patients diagnosed with anorexia may come into contact with a wide variety of healthcare professionals in the multidisciplinary team who offer treatment and therapy including psychologists, nurses and many of the allied health professions. Information on the number of specialist staff dedicated to the treatment of anorexia is not available centrally.

Environment

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many carbon emissions permits have been allocated to hospitals and what the levels of emissions were for each NHS hospital included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme in its first year of operation.

Ross Finnie: The 19 NHS hospitals in Scotland currently holding greenhouse gas emissions permits, and associated installation ID, are listed in the following table. For future reference, this information is available through a link on the EU Emissions Trading pages of the Executive’s climate change website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/climatechange .

  Information on the carbon allowances allocated to each hospital, and their verified emissions for the first year of operation of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, is available in the Community transaction log, operated by the European Commission and available at:

  http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ets/welcome.do. The transaction log can be searched using the relevant installation ID. The allocation to the Golden Jubilee National Hospital is not included in the Community transaction log as this installation applied to enter the scheme late. However, the allocation to this installation in 2005 was 4,354 tonnes of carbon. It is planned to publish shortly allocations to installations entering the scheme late.

  

 Installation Name
 Installation ID


 St John's Hospital
 605


 Ninewells Hospital
 610


 Western General Hospital
 611


 Stirling Royal Infirmary
 612


 Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary
 613


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
 617


 Woodend Hospital
 623


 Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
 624


 Raigmore Hospital
 638


 Western Infirmary
 651


 Gartnaval General Hospital
 652


 Stobhill General Hospital
 653


 Glasgow Royal Infirmary
 654


 Crosshouse Hospital
 664


 Yorkhill Hospital
 666


 Monklands Hospital
 668


 Hairmyres Hospital
 669


 Wishaw General Hospital
 671


 Golden Jubilee National Hospital
 762

Farming

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers have (a) joined and (b) opted out of the Organic Aid Scheme in each year since 1994.

Rhona Brankin: The following table shows the number of farmers that joined the Organic Aid Scheme and those who opted out, or withdrew their applications, within the 5 year agreement period, for each year. The "opted out" figures include producers who have formally asked to withdraw from the scheme and those who have withdrawn through breaching the scheme rules e.g. losing their organic certification. Further information and statistics relating to the scheme can be found in the Organic Annual Report which can be found at the Scottish Executive website www.scotland.gov.uk

  

 
 1994
 1995
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
2004
Conversion 
and Maintenance
2005
Conversion 
and Maintenance


 Joined
 13
 11
 11
 20
 84
 254
 137
 131
 51
 16
 112
 96


 Opted out
 3
 1
 0
 1
 16
 39
 14
 39
 14
 6
 19
 5

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Donald Dewar met the Prime Minister.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Donald Dewar met the Prime Minister formally on three occasions. They also met informally and spoke by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Henry McLeish met the Prime Minister.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Henry McLeish met the Prime Minister formally on one occasion. They also met informally and spoke by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Mr Jack McConnell has met the Prime Minister.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Jack McConnell has met the Prime Minister formally on eighteen occasions. They have also met informally and spoken by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Donald Dewar met the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Donald Dewar met the Secretary of State for Scotland formally on thirteen occasions. They also met informally and spoke by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Henry McLeish met the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Henry McLeish met the Secretary of State for Scotland formally on seven occasions. They also met informally and spoke by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Mr Jack McConnell has met the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Jack McConnell has met the Secretary of State for Scotland formally on twenty six occasions. They have also met informally and spoken by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Donald Dewar met the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Donald Dewar did not formally meet the Chancellor of the Exchequer. They met informally and spoke by telephone on numerous occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Henry McLeish met the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Henry McLeish met the Chancellor of the Exchequer formally on one occasion. They also met informally and spoke by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times as First Minister Mr Jack McConnell has met the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that First Minister Jack McConnell has met the Chancellor of the Exchequer formally on seven occasions. They have also met informally and spoke by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

Food

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that traditionally prepared Scottish mince is not banned by EU legislation.

Ross Finnie: This is essentially a matter for the Food Standards Agency. The Executive has written to the Agency emphasising the possible difficulties for meat plants and wholesalers caused by the requirement that mince can only be made from chilled beef within six days of slaughter. The Executive recognises that this timescale does not apply to retail butchers, who can continue to supply mince made from traditionally matured meat. The Executive is urging the Food Standards Agency to work with industry to achieve an outcome favourable to industry and consumers.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on obesity levels of children (a) watching television and (b) using computers and other game consoles.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Health Survey in 2003:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/11/25145024/50251 found that the time children spend sitting at a screen (other than at school) is a significant factor in not achieving the recommended levels of physical activity (at least 60 minutes per day on most days of the week). Other studies have suggested that lower physical activity levels are strongly associated with levels of obesity amongst children.

Housing Benefit

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to each local authority has been of administering housing benefit in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is contained in the following table:

  Housing Benefit Administration - Net Expenditure1

  

 Local Authority
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-042
 2004-05 2


 Scotland
 17,913
 20,077
 22,351
 23,481
 13,658
 12,143


 Aberdeen City
 904
 927
 1,456
 1,466
 1,410
 1,315


 Aberdeenshire
 321
 545
 895
 973
 896
 950


 Angus
 350
 352
 509
 565
 396
 464


 Argyll and Bute
 265
 233
 286
 335
 259
 30


 Clackmannanshire
 155
 146
 4
 140
 102
 111


 Dumfries and Galloway
 139
 328
 331
 403
 423
 0


 Dundee City
 816
 919
 1,010
 1,467
 1,456
 1,528


 East Ayrshire
 903
 1,014
 825
 1,071
 341
 148


 East Dunbartonshire
 86
 81
 141
 217
 18
 -44


 East Lothian
 261
 298
 297
 366
 72
 2


 East Renfrewshire
 270
 232
 236
 261
 138
 211


 Edinburgh City
 5,030
 5,943
 4,779
 4,012
 3,529
 3,407


 Eilean Siar
 63
 75
 119
 137
 92
 139


 Falkirk
 401
 393
 692
 733
 456
 573


 Fife
 872
 1,128
 1,062
 1,446
 808
 1,279


 Glasgow City
 2,914
 2,974
 3,060
 3,074
 -276
 -508


 Highland
 725
 1,012
 985
 1,150
 830
 778


 Inverclyde
 154
 136
 265
 262
 171
 66


 Midlothian
 293
 271
 576
 591
 136
 213


 Moray
 117
 151
 227
 265
 189
 245


 North Ayrshire
 208
 256
 514
 544
 277
 52


 North Lanarkshire
 9
 -148
 -89
 486
 -522
 -274


 Orkney Islands
 32
 39
 46
 60
 84
 120


 Perth and Kinross
 216
 252
 317
 241
 102
 129


 Renfrewshire
 753
 709
 968
 837
 561
 110


 Scottish Borders
 180
 237
 264
 205
 84
 191


 Shetland Islands
 133
 121
 102
 114
 76
 62


 South Ayrshire
 128
 48
 641
 559
 202
 217


 South Lanarkshire
 389
 415
 439
 257
 598
 439


 Stirling
 441
 463
 503
 235
 110
 128


 West Dunbartonshire
 275
 236
 226
 364
 201
 -21


 West Lothian
 110
 291
 665
 645
 439
 83



  Source: As reported on the Local Financial Return LFR 9 for Housing.

  Notes:

  1. Net Revenue Expenditure to be financed by Grants, RSG, Council Tax and NDR.

  2. The sudden decrease in net expenditure from 2002-03 onwards is due to the abolition of the specific grant for HB Administration. The grant transferred to an "other government grant" and so counts towards net expenditure. This item is deducted from expenditure from 2003-04 onwards and leads to negative figures for some councils.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it will give to a full public inquiry into the death of Mr Willie Macrae in April 1985, following claims by a retired police officer that he was paid, in his then role as a private detective, to carry out surveillance of Mr Macrae shortly before his death.

Colin Boyd QC: The circumstances surrounding the death of William MacRae have been fully considered on a number of occasions and there is no basis upon which to instruct any type of public inquiry.

Mental Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of NHS spending is allocated to treating depression and chronic anxiety.

Lewis Macdonald: Each NHS board receives a general allocation of funds. It is for boards to decide how best to utilise these funds to meet the health care needs of their resident population, including mental health services, taking account of national and local priorities. The Scottish Executive does not collect information on what proportion of NHS spending is allocated to treating depression and chronic anxiety.

Mental Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many therapists are trained to treat sufferers of depression.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally. Therapy for those who suffer from depression may be provided from a number of sources in primary and secondary care, local authorities and in the voluntary sector.

  The Doing Well by People with Depression programme ran for three years until March 2006. Training places for key therapies were made available across disciplines and to practitioners operating both within the NHS and in voluntary organisations.

Public Appointments

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public appointments made by Scottish ministers were of individuals with known or declared membership of the Labour or Liberal Democrat parties in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of public appointments.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the question S2W-13115 answered on 2 February 2005 which provided this information for the period from 1 April 2001 until 31 March 2004 and explained why the annual data for the preceding period was not available. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Regular returns on political activity were supplied to the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for periods preceding 31 May 2004 and, since 1 June 2004, have been provided to the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland. This information has been submitted by the Executive for inclusion in the Commissioners’ annual reports. The following table contains data taken from these returns and details the number of board members of public bodies regulated by the Commissioner who, on appointment or reappointment between 1 April 2004 and 31 May 2006, have declared political activity on behalf of all parties:

  

 
 1 April 2004 – 
31 May 2004
1 June 2004 – 
31 May 2005
 1 June 2005 – 
31 May 2006


 Total number of appointments made in period (including reappointments)
 78
 179
 172


 Total number of appointees declaring party political activity
 12
 33
 23


 Conservative
2 made to Executive NDPBs (2% of all new appointments and reappointments).1 made to an NHS Body (1% of all new appointments and reappointments).
 5 made to Executive NDPBs (3%).
 2 made to Executive NDPBs (1%)


 Labour 
5 made to NHS Bodies (6% of all new appointments and reappointments).
11 made to Executive NDPBs (6%). 1 made to a NHS Body (0.5%).
7 made to Executive NDPBs (4%)7 made to NHS Bodies (4%)


 Liberal Democrat
 0
 3 made to Executive NDPBs (2%).
3 made to Executive NDPBs (2%)2 made to NHS Bodies (1%)


 SNP
2 made to Executive NDPBs (2% of all new appointments and reappointments).
 2 made to Executive NDPBs (1%).
 


 Other
2 made to Executive NDPBs (2% of all new appointments and reappointments).
10 made to Executive NDPBs (6%).1 made to an NHS Body (0.5%)
 2 made to a Nationalised Industry (1%)



  The Executive continues to publish details of the declared political activity of all current regulated Ministerial appointments on its public appointments website which can be found at: www.scotland.gov.uk/government/public bodies.

Scottish Children's Reporter Administration

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when figures for 2005-06 on the number of referrals to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration under section 52(2)(j) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 will be published.

Robert Brown: This is a matter for the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration.

Scottish Executive Buildings

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it maintains a list of buildings such as Duff House in Banff which are available to it at no charge and what use has been made of such buildings in each of the last five years.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive does not maintain a central list of buildings which are available to it at no charge, other than for consumed resources, directly attributable to such use, for conferences and functions.

  Duff House is available for use by Scottish Ministers for up to eight functions per year on the basis that the room hire is free but Ministers would have to reimburse all the other costs incurred. Scottish Ministers can only avail themselves of this facility when the accommodation is not in use for any other purposes, eg temporary exhibitions, and use would not cause disruption to other pre-planned events. Use of this facility has to be planned well in advance.

  Our general policy is that, where business meetings, conferences or official functions are hosted by Scottish Executive, the facilities within one of the Core Estate buildings, including Bute House, are used where appropriate. Only where these facilities are either unsuitable or unavailable are "off estate" options considered. Scottish Executive hires such accommodation on the basis of suitability for the success of the individual event subject to its normal procurement procedures and guidelines. Factors such as; convenient location for travelling attendees, ability to accommodate the planned number of attendees and the nature of the facilities on offer, are important considerations in selecting a suitable venue for a successful event along with cost.

  Non core buildings available at no charge other than for consumed resources are used where appropriate. The only buildings which are regularly used by Scottish Ministers for the hosting of official Ministerial functions on this basis are the Royal Apartments at Edinburgh Castle and the Great Hall and Royal Chapel at Stirling Castle. Over the last five years the use of these buildings for the hosting of official Ministerial functions is as follows:

  

 Year
Edinburgh Castle
Royal Apartments – 
Great Hall, Laich Hall and Queen Mary Room
Stirling Castle
Great Hall and Chapel Royal


 2001
 31
 3


 2002
 24
 1


 2003
 25
 0


 2004
 18
 0


 2005
 38
 2


 2006
 10 to date
 2 to date

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of media training has been for Scottish ministers in each year since 1999, showing which ministers have undertaken media training and which have not.

Mr Tom McCabe: From 1999 until August 2006 the Scottish Executive spent £17,870 on Ministerial media training. The following Ministers and Law Officers attended the course.

  Wendy Alexander MSP, Elish Angiolini QC, Jackie Baillie MSP, Sarah Boyack MSP, Rhona Brankin MSP, Colin Boyd QC, Robert Brown MSP, Margaret Curran MSP, Neil Davidson QC, Iain Gray MSP, Ross Finnie MSP, Patricia Ferguson MSP, Hugh Henry MSP, Cathy Jamieson MSP, Andy Kerr MSP, Johann Lamont MSP, Angus MacKay MSP, Frank McAveety MSP, Tom McCabe MSP, Lewis McDonald MSP, Jack McConnell MSP, Des McNulty MSP, Mary Mulligan MSP, Elaine Murray MSP, John Home Robertson MSP, Euan Robson MSP, Tavish Scott MSP, Nicol Stephen MSP, Jim Wallace MSP, Mike Watson MSP.